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Blenders and Buicks
It takes just over three years to design and develop a new vehicle and bring it to market. That's down considerably from the four to six years it used to take, but not nearly as quick as other consumer products like blenders and flat screen TVs. So the all-new vehicles we're seeing now were essentially locked in three years ago and they tell a story of where we were then.
In 2009, we were just back from the brink of an economic meltdown, gasoline was expensive, conspicuous consumption was out and austerity was generally in. This, in conjunction with stricter fuel economy standards, had all manufacturers reevaluating their future products. There is a long list of production and design changes that took place but the two that stand out to me were the move to add more luxury content to smaller, non-luxury cars, and the move to reduce the engine size and cylinder count.
It was determined then that certain people didn't necessarily need another "luxury car", but they did want "luxury items" like a quiet ride, Bluetooth, leather interior, heated seats, navigation, satellite radio, and so on. It was also determined then that folks didn't necessarily need a big V8 when a turbocharged six-cylinder car would perform as well and get better gas mileage. And the same with an advanced turbo 4-cylinder replacing a traditional six-cylinder.
The availability of luxury items on non-luxury midsize and compact cars now is unprecedented. You can now equip cars like a Mazda3, Ford Focus or Hyundai Elantra with navigation, moonroof, high-end audio, leather, heated seats and all sorts of techno goodies never before seen in this class. No, these won't impress the country club parking valets, but for those who don't care about that, driving a small car doesn't mean sacrificing as much anymore. And this is a stepping stone to unique cars like the new Buick Verano (below), which was developed specifically as a "luxury compact" with all the attributes of a Buick, but in a compact car not much bigger than a Toyota Corolla.
 
And probably of bigger note is the move to smaller, yet equally (or more) powerful engines. For example, the upcoming all-new mid-size Ford Fusion and Chevy Malibu have both abandoned V6s in favor of various four-cylinder powerplants. Toyota dropped the V6 on their bread & butter Camry LE and offers a V6 only on their sporty SE and top-of-the-line XLE Camrys.
And the car enthusiasts among you probably know that in addition to Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz are now featuring turbocharged four-cylinder engines in place of formerly standard six-cylinder powerplants. Rest assured that the performance is actually improved along with the better fuel economy, but what remains to be seen is if buyers will resist or embrace these changes. See below for my review of the new BMW 328i sedan with turbo 4-cylinder engine.
Jeff Barron
email me
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Building work trucks isn't sexy, but your employees will get excited about making them right. Sure, we lease lots of light duty vehicles like sedans, SUVs, pickups, etc. but one of the most interesting things we get to do is help companies spec and design work trucks for specific requirements. All businesses have their own unique requirements for their trucks and it's the employees who use them on a daily basis that we look to for much of the input. They appreciate being included, and their input usually proves to be very helpful. 
We work with all types of companies so we build refrigerated delivery vans, construction dump trucks (right), service bodies, moving vans, passenger shuttle vans, and many others.
But perhaps some of the most interesting and fun projects we've undertaken have been the Animal Rescue & Control Vehicles for the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA.
When you're used to discussing the liftgate capacity of a delivery truck, or the payload rating of a stakebody flatbed, it's quite a change to discuss the safest way to corral a lost and distressed dog into a van, or the nuances of winching a dead deer off the highway. The Animal Control Officers at PHS really know their stuff and designed some innovative features on their latest rigs. So if you're establishing your own municipality and need to start your own animal rescue & control operation, we'll be able to help.
  
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2012 BMW 328i - turbocharged 4-cylinder fun
The BMW 3-series has been an icon for car enthusiasts since the 320i replaced the venerable 2002 in 1976. For many years, the 3-series was only available with a 4-cylinder engine, then both inline 4- and 6-cylinder engines were offered, and eventually just different 6-cylinder motors. But with the all-new 2012 3-series, BMW has dropped the base straight-six engine in the US and replaced it with a high-tech 2.0 turbocharged 4-cylinder (the 335i is still a turbo six.) Some recent fans of BMW are bemoaning the return to 4-cylinder engines but I can tell you that although it may not be as silky smooth as the old six, this engine is a keeper, with more horsepower and torque, and much better fuel economy too. It's kind of like having your Black Forest Cake and eating it too.
Thanks to our friends at San Francisco BMW, I spent 24 hours with a new 328i and enjoyed every minute. The new body is a bit larger overall, which creates more interior and trunk space. Handling is still the car's strength, and the quality and fit & finish are segment-leading, as always. Few sedans are as rewarding to drive. One new feature that many news cars will eventually offer is "stop-start", which is something hybrid drivers have experienced for years. In a nutshell, all systems like power brakes, power steering and A/C now operate electrically instead of being driven by the engine. The car maintains enough battery power to operate these features at a stoplight so, like a hybrid, the engine shuts off when you some to a stop, and instantly restarts when you lift your foot off the brake. It's a little odd at first, and you can override this if you want, but between this, the new 8-speed automatic transmission, and the advanced direct-injection engine, I achieved over 30 mpg on my city + highway commute. Pretty good for 240 horsepower and 0-60 in 5.7 seconds.
Our commercial fleet customers should know that BMW is now offering fleet incentives for qualifying accounts, so please call us if you're thinking about adding or replacing executive vehicles and want to consider BMWs.
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Helpful Gizmos Scion IQ Normally, this segment is reserved for little handheld gadgets that make your life easier, more efficient, or more interesting. This new car is so small that it sort of meets all those criteria. It's almost more gadget than car considering you can practically park it next to your desk.
Cars this small have been sold in Japan and Europe for years but this is the first time any of the major Japanese companies has offered a "city car" here. Smart Cars (part of Mercedes Benz) were here first but the Scion IQ offers the distinct advantage of seating four people (well, three really . . .you kind of have to see it.) But this isn't the car to drive two of your friends to Las Vegas in; there's not much room for suitcases. But for two people in an urban lifestyle, these are pretty cool. And yes, they are real cars with a 4-cylinder gas engine, automatic transmission, A/C, Bluetooth, power windows, loads of airbags, and the guarantee of lots of waves and smiles from the viewing public.
I drove one home and back (about 50 miles) and was pleasantly surprised: decent performance, smooth ride, nice stereo, and at least four thumbs-ups from other drivers. And Scion (part of Toyota) offers all sorts of opportunities to customize them with spoilers, alloy wheels, flare kits, etc. |
Teenage drivers It's about this time of year that I start receiving calls from customers whose kids are soon to graduate high school, or maybe just turn 16, and they're considering rewarding them with a new or used car.
We're happy to help pick the right car but it's your job to do what you can to keep them safe. We tend to forget that these young adults simply don't have the experience and judgement we do until something bad happens. It's always startling to look at the facts. Just look at these statistics from a recent insurance foundation study:
- The chance of one crash in the first three years of driving is 89.2%
- The chance of two crashes in the first three years of driving is 52.5%
- A 16-year-old is 20 times more likely to be killed in a crash than an adult
- Teens are 400% more likely to die in a car crash than 25-34 year-old drivers
- 63% of teenage passenger deaths occur in vehicles driven by another teenager
- 113 teenage drivers each week in the U.S. are involved in fatal crashes
- Nearly 1000 teens each day are treated in an emergency room for injuries suffered in a motor vehicle crash
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Used Car Corner
We have a nice 2008 Mercury Milan Premier All-Wheel-Drive with only 36k miles. It's currently listed here in our sister company's inventory, but call or email us for special pricing for friends of Ellis Brooks Leasing, Inc.
You can also peruse Ellis Brooks Auto Center's inventory here for other pre-owned vehicles. We can help with the purchase or lease of most of their cars too.
 
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About Ellis Brooks Leasing, Inc.
Since 1964, we have been providing fleet management and leasing services to businesses in California and the West. Whether you have a fleet of 1 or 100, we can help you select the right vehicles and lease plans to fit your needs.
- High-mileage leases are our specialty (even 100k/year)
- Fuel and Maintenance Card programs
- Fleet pricing
- Local and out-of-state deliveries
- All makes of cars, trucks, vans and SUVs
- Upfitted work trucks and vans
- Pre-owned vehicles
- Professional, personal, no-pressure environment
Call us at (415) 474-1100 and see how easy it is to get started.
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Thank you for reading our newsletter. We don't do much advertising so please pass this along if you know of a company that uses vehicles in their daily operation.If you're an existing client, we really appreciate personal referrals. Jeff Barron
Ellis Brooks Leasing, Inc.
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